Pierogi Dumpling Crochet Pattern

November 10, 2017

About 9 months ago I started teaching a crochet class at my local community center, and this is a pattern that I wrote out to help my students practice increases and work on their single crochet tension, which needs to be very tight and consistent for amigurumi.

Once I started making these little Pierogi for the pattern, I got a tiny bit carried away and developed 3 different versions which reflect the different ways people tend to seal their dumplings. So below you will find a pattern for the Tidy Pierogi, the Fancy Pierogi and the Banana Pierogi… which is my favorite as it’s what my (food) Pierogi tend to end up looking like :)

You will need:

– Light flesh colored DK yarn

– 3.5mm Hook

– Pair of 10mm or 12mm Safety eyes** (buttons or beads can also be used, or you can just stitch on the face if you want to)

– Stitch marker (for marking the start of each round)

Tidy Pierogi

Start with a magic ring(make sure you leave a tail for sewing in later)

Rnd 1 – 6sc into magic ring (6)

Rnd 2 – 2sc in each sc (12)

Rnd 3 – *2sc in first sc, 1 sc in next.* Repeat around (18)

Rnd 4 – *2sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 2 sc* Repeat around (24)

Rnd 5 – *2sc in first sc, 1 in next 3 sc* Repeat around (30)

Rnd 6 – *2sc in first sc, 1 in next 4* Repeat around (36)

Rnd 7 – *2sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 5 sc* Repeat around (42)

Rnd 8 – *2sc in first sc, 1 in next 6 sc* Repeat around (48)

Do not fasten off. Instead fold crochet circle in half so that the yarn start point is all the way to the right.

Line up the edges and single crochet them together by inserting the hook through both loops on the front half of the folded piece and both loops of the back half of the piece as in the photo below.

When you’re about 1/3 the way across, start stuffing the part that has been closed and position the eyes if you are using safety eyes.

I like to snip the pointed bit off of my safety eyes when making something this small, but it’s not necessary.

Continue stitching the pierogi all the way to the end, fasten off with at least a 4 inch yarn tail and then sew in the ends.

Want to make BABY pierogi??? (just end the circle on round 5 instead of 8)

(tips on sewing in ends and sewing on faces at bottom of post)

Fancy Peirogi

Same pattern as tidy pierogi, except that after you stuff and seal the edges you will not fasten off the yarn, Instead you will turn your pierogi and work 2 sc into each of the sc’s on the edge. This will create a gentle (fancy) ruffle all the way around.

Fasten off and sew in ends after ruffle is completed.

Banana Pierogi

Start with a magic ring(make sure you leave a tail for sewing in later)

Rnd 1 – 6sc (6)

Rnd 2 – 2sc in each sc (12)

Rnd 3 – *2sc in first sc, 1 sc in next.* Repeat around (18)

Rnd 4 – *2sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 2 sc* Repeat around (24)

Rnd 5 – *2sc in first sc, 1 in next 3 sc* Repeat around (30)

Rnd 6 – *2sc in first sc, 1 in next* Repeat around (45)

Rnd 7 – *2sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 2 sc* Repeat around (60)

Rnd 8 – *2sc in first sc, 1 in next 3 sc* Repeat around (75)

(finish the same as the same way as the Tidy Pierogi or the Fancy Pierogi)

How To Sew In Ends On Amigurumi

People all have their own ways of doing this. To me, it’s really important that the ends are very secure and hidden.

I should probably do this in video form, but photos will have to do for now.

First I thread the yarn tail through a darning needle. Next I make a knot right on the spot that the yarn has left off and I pull that knot as tightly as possible so that the bump of it easily disappears.

Next I thread that tail through the body of the piece back and forth a couple of times. When you’re ready to end, snip off the tail leaving about a 3mm tuft… then squeeze the amigurumi and the tiny little tuft will get sucked in and disappear.

How To Sew On Facial Features

There are different ways of doing this as well, but since I’m writing this, I’ll just tell you how I do it.

First thread a length of black yarn through a darning needle.

Enter the face through the back of the piece and leave a minimum of a 2 inch tail hanging out.

Sew on the features that you want, using the holes that are already between the stitches on your piece.

When finished direct the yarn out the back, through the SAME HOLE that the yarn started from.

Tie the two ends together in a knot twice and snip the tails leaving a couple MM’s of tuft.

Poke the knot through the hole to hide it. If you want to REALLY hide the shadow of the black knot under the surface you can also cut a tuft of flesh colored yarn and poke it through the hole as well.

Ok… that’s about it. I’m going to make my pierogi into Christmas ornaments :D happy pierogi making to you! :D

**Please note that safety eyes are not safe for children under 3. Even if those things are fastened on so tightly that you’re positive there is no way they could rip them off, remember that it only takes the child stretching and breaking the fibers of the yarn for them to pull out the eye.

If you’d like to make one of these for a small child however, you can always sew the eyes on like I did for the baby pirogi… but that size of amigurumi is also unacceptable for an under 3 so it would have to be sewn eyes on a full size pierogi!